Electrically heated clothes drier



P 1951 A. P. HOSKINGS 2,567,434

ELECTRICALLY HEATED CLOTHES DRIER Filed June 25, 1949 INVENTOR. AL ICE I? HOSKINGS AGENT Patented Sept. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICALLY HEATED CLOTHES DRIER Alice P. Hoskings, San Diego, Calif. Application June 25, 1949, Serial No. 101,424

Claims. 1

My invention relates to an electrically heated clothes dryer, more particularly to an improvement over my co-pending application, Serial No. 635,184, filed December 15, 1945, now abandoned, and the objects of m invention are:

First, to provide an electrically heated clothes dryer of this class which is provided with a plurality of substantially horizontal tubes connected to upright channels at their opposite ends, which form conduits for the electrical heating element extending intermediate the horizontal tubes, whereby access to the heating element intermediate the tubes may be readily had by opening the channels at opposite ends of the tubes;

Second, to provide an electrically heated clothes dryer of this class which, is very simple and easy to assemble;

Third, to provide an electrically heated clothes dryer of this class in which the insertion of the heating element in the horizontal tubes is greatly facilitated, due to the removable channelshaped covers on the upright channels, which communicate with the horizontal tubes in which the heating elements are positioned;

Fourth, to provide an electrically heated clothes dryer of this class which may be hung from a conventional clothes rod in a similar manner to conventional clothes hangers;

Fifth, to provide a clothes dryer of this class in which woven glass insulation may be readily inserted in surrounding relation with the heating element without undue damage thereto; and

Sixth, to provide an electrically heated clothes dryer of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, efficient in operation, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference thereon, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my electrically heated clothes dryer, showing portions thereof broken away and in section to amplify the illustration; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view,

taken from the line 44 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the heating element of my electrically heated clothes dryer.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The channel members I, 2, 3 and 4, tubes 5, 6, l, 8, 9 and i0, insulation ll, heating element 12, hanger l3 and the hanger swivel member 14, constitute the principal parts and portions of my electrically heated clothes dryer.

The channel members I and 2 are U-shaped in cross-section and are normally vertically disposed when my clothes dryer is in operation. interconnecting these U-shaped in cross-section channel members I and 2 are the tubes 5, 6. l, 8, 9 and [0, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It will be noted that these tubes 5 to M, inclusive, are connected at their opposite ends to the channel members i and 2 at the enclosed middle section of each of said channel members, and that the open sides between the legs of the channel members I and 2 face axially away from the tubes 5 to 10, inclusive. The channel members 3 and 4 fit over the outer sides of the channel members I and 2 in opposing relationship thereto, so that the closed sides of the section in each of the channel members 3 and 4 covers the open sides of the channel members I and 2, respectively, all as shown in crosssection in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Upper and lower ends of the channel members I to 4 are curved concentrically with the circular in cross-section ends of the tubes 5 and It), as shown best in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The insulation II is preferably made of woven glass fibers, arranged in tubular form, internally of which the heating element [2 is positioned. This heating element 12 is a conventional resistance heating element, adapted to be energized electrically for heating the tubes 5 to It] and the channels I to 4 to a certain degree, as desired. The hanger I3 is hook-shaped in form, and provided with a crosshead [3a at its lower end. which is retained by the hanger swivel member l4 secured to the upper side of the tube I 0 at its middle portion. This hanger swivel member- I4 is arcuate in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and is provided with a slot, Ila, therein, through which the shank l3b of the hanger member l3 extends, above the crosshead I3a, as hereinbefore described.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the heating element l2 surrounded by the insulation ll substantially conforms to the arrangement of the 'ateiis' tubes to 10, inclusive, and the channels I and 2, through which said heating element extendsv The operation of my electrically heated clothes dryer is substantially as follows:

The hanger member 13 may be placed over a conventional rod, and a coat or other garment may be positioned over the upper tube Ill, which is curved to substantially conform to the shoulder portions of a coat or the like. Other articles of clothing may be placed on the horizontal tube members 5 to 9, inclusive, as desired, and the heating element l2 may be electrically energized in a manner conventional to various electrical appliances. It will be noted that the resistance of the heating element i2 substantially controls the temperature thereof to a degree below the normal scorching temperature of various fabrics or articles of clothing.

When it is desired to replace the heating element [2 and the insulation l I, the channel members 3 and 4 may be readily removed from the channel members I and 2, respectively, exposing the inner sides of the channel members I and 2, and the open ends of the tubes 5 to it", inclusive, through which the heating element l2 and insulation ll may be readily threaded without undue kinking or damage thereto. After replacement or repair to the heating element l2 and insulation H has been made, the channel members 3 and t may be replaced in the position as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, whereupon continued operation of the clothes dryer may be accomplished. It will be noted that the upper and lower ends of the chamiel members 3 and {i are curved, as shown in Fig; 3 of the drawings, which presents a smooth surface at the corners of the clothes dryer to the interior of garments hung thereon, so that such garments are not in any way damaged or de ranged. When it is desired to transport my electrically heated clothes dryer, the hanger l3 may be moved into the dash line position, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, by sliding the crosshead I30: thereof longitudinally of the arcuate slot I la in the hanger swivel member I4. Thus, the hanger'l3 may be positioned in parallel relationship to the channel members 3 and 4, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. 7

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a clothes dryer, a pair of straight substantially U-shaped in cross-section internally insulated vertical members, and a plurality of horizontal tubular members interconnecting said U-shaped in cross-section vertical members, and communicating with the interior thereof said horizontally tubular members spaced from each other a greater distance than the diameter thereof.

2. In a clothes dryer, a pair of substantially U-Shaped in cross-section vertical members, a plurality of horizontal tubular members interconnecting said U-shaped in cross-section verti cal members, and communicating with the interior thereof said horizontal tubular members spaced from each other a greater distancethan the diameter thereof, a heating element extending through said tubular members and extending intermediate said tubular members in said U-shaped in cross-section members and insulation means internally of said vertical members.

3. In a clothes dryer, a pair of straight substantially U -shaped in cross-section vertical members, a plurality of horizontal tubular members interconnecting said U-shaped in cross-section verticalmembers, and communicating with the interior thereof said horizontal tubular members spaced from each other a greater distance than the diameter thereof, a heating element extending through said tubular members and ex tending intermediate said tubular. members in said U-shaped in cross-section members, secondary U'-shaped in cross-section members positioned over the outer sides of said first-mentioned U-shaped in cross-section members, and enclosing the open sides thereof, outwardly of said heating element and insulation means internally of said vertical members.

4. Ina clothes dryer, a pair of straight substantially U shaped in cross-section vertical members, a plurality of horizontal tubular members interconnecting said U-shaped in cross' -section vertical members, and communicating with the interior thereof said horizontal tubular members spaced from each other a greater distance than the diameter thereof, a heating elementextending through said tubular members and extending intermediate said tubular members in said U-shaped in cross-section members, secondary U-shaped in cross-section members positioned over the outer sides of said first-mentioned U-shaped in cross-section members, and enclosing the open sides thereof, outwardly of said heating element and insulation means internally of said vertical members, said heating element having insulation means surrounding the same.

5. In a clothes dryer, a pair of straight substantially t l-shaped in cross-section vertical members, a plurality of horizontal tubular menibers interconnecting said U-shaped in cross-section vertical members, and communicating with the interior thereof said horizontal tubular members spaced from each other a greater distance than the diameter thereof, a heating ele ment extending through said tubular members and extending intermediate said tubular members in said U-shaped in cross-section members, secondary U-shaped in cross-section members positioned over the outer sides of said first mentioned U-shaped in cross-section members, and enclosing the open sides thereof, outwardly of said heating element and insulation means internally of sa'id vertical members, said heating element having insulationmeans surrounding the same, some of said tubular members" adjacent opposite ends 'of said U-shaped in cross-section members, said u 'shaped' in cross-section members having enclosed ends substantially concentric with said tubes.

6. In a clothes dryer, a pair of straight substantially U-shaped in cross-section vertical members, a plurality of horizontal tubular mem' bers interconnecting said U-shaped in cross' sec' tion vertical members, and communicating with the interior thereof said horizontal tubular members spaced from each other a greater distance than the diameter thereof, a heating element extending through said tubular members and extending intermediate said tubular members in said U-shaped in cross-section members, sec-- ondary U-shaped in cross-section members positioned over the outer sides of said first mentioned U-shaped in cross-section members, and enclosing the open sides thereof, outwardly of said heating element and insulation means internally of said vertical members, said heating element having insulation means surrounding the same, a hanger connected to the uppermost of said tubular members.

'7. In a clothes dryer, a pair of straight substantially U-shaped in cross-section vertical members, a plurality of horizontal tubular members interconnecting said U-shaped in cross-section vertical members, and communicating with the interior thereof said horizontal tubular members spaced from each other a greater distance than the diameter thereof, a heating element extending through said tubular members and extending intermediate said tubular members in said U-shaped in cross-section members, secondary U-shaped in cross-section members positioned over the outer sides of said first-mentioned U-shaped in cross-section members, and enclosing the open sides thereof, outwardly of said heating element and insulation means internally of said vertical members, said heating element having insulation means surrounding the same, a hanger connected to the uppermost of said tubular members, and having a swivel member connected therewith, permitting pivotal movement of said hanger member into substantially parallel relationship with said U-shaped in crosssection members.

8. In an electrically heated clothes dryer, a plurality of horizontally disposed hollow tubes, and straight hollow in cross-section internally insulated members fixed to and communicating with opposite ends of said tubes, and interconnecting the same said horizontally disposed hollow tubes spaced from each other a greater distance than the diameter thereof.

9. In an electrically heated clothes dryer, a plurality of horizontally disposed hollow tubes, and straight hollow in cross-section internally insulated members fixed to and communicating with opposite ends of said tubes, and interconnecting the same said horizontally disposed hollow tubes spaced from each other a greater distance than the diameter thereof, said straight hollow in cross-section members having their open sides facing directly away from each other in alignment with the axis of said tubes.

10. In an electrically heated clothes dryer, a plurality of horizontall disposed hollow tubes, and straight hollow in cross-section internally insulated members fixed to and communicating with opposite ends of said tubes, and interconnecting the same said horizontally disposed hollow tubes spaced from each other a greater distance than the diameter thereof, said straight hollow in cross-section members having their open sides facing directly away from each other in alignment with the axis of said tubes, means for enclosing the open sides of said U-shaped in cross-section members.

ALICE P. HOSKINGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,835,602 Kercher et a1. Dec. 8, 1931 1,972,186 Davis Sept. 4, 1934 1,998,872 Houchin et a1 Apr. 23, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,586 Great Britain of 1912 

